Share this:

Tags

Comments 14

My close friend of 30 years is dying of cancer, it has reached stage 4. We both graduated from BYU in the 80’s. We both are active LDS members today and have been successful in business. I share that because we are not radical outspoken people looking to ridicule without cause. The pain my friend is dealing with is at a very high level and pill medication therapy at high doses is harmful to his liver. He has a far better day if he can eat some cannabis. It alleviates the pain for a longer period and without the side effects of prescription drugs. The LDS Church put out a press release against medical marijuana. It’s my opinion that there is no reason why my church needs to be so cruel to so many people because cannabis helps with so many different ailments today. It’s actually an act of indecency to the highest degree, a cowardly position without compassion. Medical Marijuana has a place is our sociality today and to continue to put out reasons that are nonsense is an act of cruelty, yes you read that correctly, an act of cruelty. At what point in time are these out of touch Church Leaders that are suppose to be spiritualist going to stop trying to control legislation in Utah? More and more members are actually getting tired of all these press releases by the LDS Church that show a lack of compassion. It has become a pattern and the membership is actively aware of the constant outspoken, out of touch dogmatic approach in areas of legislation that need to be updated to combat the complications of the modern world that we live in today. I know my words are harsh, but their press releases are even harsher to people that are suffering.

For the purposes of “getting high,” marijuana is much, much safer and less damaging than alcohol. For the purposes of pain and nausea management, marijuana is far, far less dangerous than opiates and is often effective in treating symptoms that other medications have no effect on at all.

The main problem with marijuana is that you can grow enough for your own use in a square meter in your backyard for free. When things don’t make sense, follow the money. When you’ve followed the money from beginning to end, everything makes perfect sense. There is a film that can be purchased, rented or streamed called “The Union: The Business Behind Getting High.” It explains how the pharmaceutical industry, the brewing and distilling industry, the prison industry (yes, prison industry), the textile industry, the paper products industry, the law enforcement industry and others all benefit from the illegality of marijuana/hemp and all of its potential byproducts.

It’s too involved to detail here, but if you want to know really why marijuana/hemp is illegal, watch “The Union.”

I found this episode to be incredibly illuminating – I had no idea how useful marijuana can be. I have minor pain issues that just require occasional (although mostly daily) pain killers (approx. 60 mg) I would be so much happier even in my minor case to use medical marijuana instead of painkillers with toxic paracetamol in them. It is nothing short of a criminal and literal evil to deny effective medication to those that have serious suffering.

What really disturbed me is that an untrained bishop would tell someone to take something toxic instead of something that works, when there isn’t even a doctrinal basis. This bishop is ignorant, evil and borderline psychopathic. A man like that does not deserve respect and does not deserve to be told the truth. But almost as bad, the indoctrination that would allow someone to risk their own life to obey such a man. Both sides show just one more way that the LDS so-called church is a horribly destructive organisation that needs to the lose their tax-exempt status and be opposed in every way.

This was a fascinating podcast. I learned a lot, about a topic I knew virtually nothing about. Great job, John and panelists! I don’t live in Utah, and the state where I live has not yet legalized the medical use of marijuana. I’m sure this is going to continue to be an urgent issue. I feel much better informed, and very empathetic, since listening to this program. A big thanks all who participated.

Although I am in favor of the legalization of medical marijuana. This episode was the hardest MoStories I’ve ever listened to. John Dehlin made several failed attempts to rein in the panelists and others who all seemed to want to explain why they were so rich or connected or how they could drive “high” and be even better drivers. Other’s wanted to continually bear their testimonies, while at the same time bashing the church. The last half became so frustrating I couldn’t finish.

A legislator who listened to this would certainly have some added concerns.

The stories are compelling but the episode is poorly done. Sorry John!

John, I’m sorry but this episode hurt to listen to. The rambling female commenter with Ehlers-Danlos Syndrome went on for 10+ minutes describing in a haphazard way everything from her FBI TBM father and her troubles in Mexico to her crippled children who need THC to treat their painful ankles. This was NOT a meaningful discussion, rather a gripe session about the short-comings of modern medicine. You conduct excellent 1-on-1 interviews, but shepherding a discussion group in this venue has proven too difficult to accomplish.

I will continue to listen to your thoughtful LDS perspectives, interviews with significant movers in the exMormon sphere, and harken to the pertinent topics you present. But this episode failed on so many fronts, I can’t be sure future live discussions will be worth my time. Sorry.

I am a TBM who is totally against using marijuana recreationally personally. However, I voted for its legalization in Oregon during both 2012 and 2014, so was already in favor of its legalization. One should not be required to obtain governmental permission for using cannabis, whether medicinally or recreationally.

I am hoping that the human rights and constitutional issues of cannabis will also be explored and discussed. When cannabis is illegal, the opportunities for the police to violate the 4th Amendment rights by conducting warrantless searches of automobiles and even homes, and tricking people to give up their rights enumerated in the 5th Amendment are increased. It is also cruel for people who could be helped by the use of cannabis to be denied it.

I am giving serious consideration to writing a letter to the first presidency regarding their stand against the legalization of cannabis in Utah.

Is there any action on the petition yet? I already have someone who will help on the issue of getting it on the ballot. Let’s stop the suffering. Thank you for this information. Misinformed decisions hurting those who are informed and need the help.

I’m 40 minutes in and I feel like I’m listening to people who are using the audience as a sounding board for therapy purposes. What I’m listening to is a lecture(with no structure), not a discussion. I resent the second girl who assumed people in the audience don’t understand pain. I wish the panel would have been more prepared and kept their intros short and let the rest of the info come out during discussion. I guess John was in a tough spot and didn’t want to just cut people off–setting better expectations of panelists in the future might help. As a supporter of medical marijuana I’m disappointed thus far, but will keep listening.

I am a cannabis user; let’s get that out of the way first. I don’t believe that this topic is related to the church in any way except the way they are inserting themselves into political and health issues. I don’t need to hear your testimonies about god and the church. I did however want your stories. I care about your health conditions for which cannabis has been helpful and I also care about the rights of humans to choose medicine that works for them – but more than that, their right to use cannabis “Just to get high.” I found the young lady with Crohn’s Disease to be way too judgmental and I would like to ask her to re-think her position on the topic.

Utah is the highest State for anti-depressant use. We describe depressed people as being low – high is merely the opposite of low. I understand that being active Mormons colors their thinking, in that they would not use alcohol or mood altering substances – UNLESS they are prescribed by a doctor. There is a difference between being ‘stoned’ and being high, just as there is a difference between being tipsy and being falling down drunk. Many people self medicate that low feeling by using cannabis – judge not, that ye be not judged.

Nobody should have the right to tell people under what conditions ‘they’ may use cannabis. It’s an extremely useful herb to be used with thanksgiving under ALL circumstances. Wishing each of you well and I’m happy to see more people promoting the use of cannabis.

Wow…. 11 comments for this podkast vs. 83 for Sister Grimshaw’s podkast. Overlooking the panelists prickly personalities [I love the obstructionist in chief…I, I, and then I founded the Utah Tea Baggers ] it speaks volumes about what people reveal of themselves when given a chance. There are people, specially children whose quality of life would improve by an order of magnitude. My gripe with the Church position is not about morals but numbers. If medical cannabis is bound to be abused, so be it. Was not The Man willing to spare a gayish, fornicating and debauchering town for the sake of 10?……….. What changed? I get it… The Restoration happened……. XD

As far as abuse goes, what exactly is the danger? I heard yet another plea for legalizing at least medicinal use the other day where they pointed out that in 2014 (the latest year they had complete statistics for), there were about 17,000 automobile deaths directly attributable to alcohol and about 35,000 firearms deaths (no data on how many of those were alcohol-fueled) and deaths directly attributable to cannabis ingestion/inhalation? Zero. That’s right, zero for the year. So even if a joint or a brownie or a pill finds its way into the hands of someone without a terminal illness, the resulting devastation will probably be less than memorable.